I HAVE always held the Angeles Electric Corp. (AEC) in the highest esteem.
Hearing my Angeles City-based friends singing hosannas to its efficiency in service delivery has made AEC – to me – the ideal power provider. Notwithstanding my very satisfactory experience with the service of SFELAPCO – that’s the San Fernando Electric Light and Power Company, the provider in my then place of residence, St. Jude Village in the City of San Fernando.
The highest esteem I had for the AEC even went a notch higher upon my transfer of residence to Xevera Bacolor. Swift and sure was AEC in tapping power to my unit.
The good times with the AEC rolled through the first quarter of 2009. What with my bills way, way below the ones SFELAPCO charged at St. Jude: P434.34 in January, P688.78 in February, and P687.95 in March.
Really, really AEC is the best in power provider. SFELAPCO is a far, far second. And the Pampanga Electric Cooperative, whether Uno, Dos or Tres? Forget it. The “Jurassic” simply don’t count here.
Then, the blow down.
For April, the AEC billed me P1,220+. Which I dutifully settled at SM City Clark.
The trusting sucker that I am, I never developed the habit of scrutinizing my bills. I just look at the “Total Amount Due” and pay for whatever is written there.
So, easily I have forgotten all about this April billing. Until the other day when I heard a group of friends expressing uniform lamentations at the AEC billings.
A 40 percent increase in their bills was the collective cry. Whether in their factories, commercial establishments or residences. Not to mention the frequency of power outages, whether planned or unannounced.
A local industrialist could find neither rhyme nor reason for the increase in his electric bill as his factory has stopped all production in the wake of the global economic crisis.
“Our buyers abroad are feeling the crunch. As there are no orders, we have not produce a single piece of furniture in a month. Our machineries are practically mothballed. And yet, there’s the 40 percent increase in our electric bill,” he rued.
In the first three months of the year, the price of oil in the world market is relatively stable, it even went down. So all the more unreason for any increase in power rates. So opined a local trader.
Whence spawned all electrifying speculations – mostly very ugly for AEC – on the (im)probable causes of the increase in its rates.
By raising its power rates, AEC is compensating not only for its systems losses but moreso for its loss of the Clark Freeport as client, alleged one.
Political – characterized one of the increase – the AEC allegedly already putting up a campaign chest for some fancied candidates, not the least of whom is an incumbent, and a relative of the AEC owners.
An “electric piracy,” that’s what’s being done by AEC. So damned another.
Soon as I got home from that kuwentuhan, I reviewed my AEC bills. Yeah, it’s all there. From P687.75 in March to P1,220+ in April is an increase of not only 40 percent. But I reckon, of over 60 percent. I am not as good in Math now as I once was. So allow me that guess-timate.
As I was writing this piece, there knocked on my door the AEC billing man. My bill this May? P1,000.76. Lower than April’s but still much higher than March’s.
So I asked the man why this increase in power rates by AEC?
Go to the AEC office and ask the people there. That was his answer.
As I do not have the time to go to the AEC at Nepo, I will just make use of this column.
SO, AEC, WHAT’S ALL THIS INCREASE IN YOUR POWER RATES?
You owe your clients not just some explanation but a very valid explanation.
Make a public statement, guys.
Hearing my Angeles City-based friends singing hosannas to its efficiency in service delivery has made AEC – to me – the ideal power provider. Notwithstanding my very satisfactory experience with the service of SFELAPCO – that’s the San Fernando Electric Light and Power Company, the provider in my then place of residence, St. Jude Village in the City of San Fernando.
The highest esteem I had for the AEC even went a notch higher upon my transfer of residence to Xevera Bacolor. Swift and sure was AEC in tapping power to my unit.
The good times with the AEC rolled through the first quarter of 2009. What with my bills way, way below the ones SFELAPCO charged at St. Jude: P434.34 in January, P688.78 in February, and P687.95 in March.
Really, really AEC is the best in power provider. SFELAPCO is a far, far second. And the Pampanga Electric Cooperative, whether Uno, Dos or Tres? Forget it. The “Jurassic” simply don’t count here.
Then, the blow down.
For April, the AEC billed me P1,220+. Which I dutifully settled at SM City Clark.
The trusting sucker that I am, I never developed the habit of scrutinizing my bills. I just look at the “Total Amount Due” and pay for whatever is written there.
So, easily I have forgotten all about this April billing. Until the other day when I heard a group of friends expressing uniform lamentations at the AEC billings.
A 40 percent increase in their bills was the collective cry. Whether in their factories, commercial establishments or residences. Not to mention the frequency of power outages, whether planned or unannounced.
A local industrialist could find neither rhyme nor reason for the increase in his electric bill as his factory has stopped all production in the wake of the global economic crisis.
“Our buyers abroad are feeling the crunch. As there are no orders, we have not produce a single piece of furniture in a month. Our machineries are practically mothballed. And yet, there’s the 40 percent increase in our electric bill,” he rued.
In the first three months of the year, the price of oil in the world market is relatively stable, it even went down. So all the more unreason for any increase in power rates. So opined a local trader.
Whence spawned all electrifying speculations – mostly very ugly for AEC – on the (im)probable causes of the increase in its rates.
By raising its power rates, AEC is compensating not only for its systems losses but moreso for its loss of the Clark Freeport as client, alleged one.
Political – characterized one of the increase – the AEC allegedly already putting up a campaign chest for some fancied candidates, not the least of whom is an incumbent, and a relative of the AEC owners.
An “electric piracy,” that’s what’s being done by AEC. So damned another.
Soon as I got home from that kuwentuhan, I reviewed my AEC bills. Yeah, it’s all there. From P687.75 in March to P1,220+ in April is an increase of not only 40 percent. But I reckon, of over 60 percent. I am not as good in Math now as I once was. So allow me that guess-timate.
As I was writing this piece, there knocked on my door the AEC billing man. My bill this May? P1,000.76. Lower than April’s but still much higher than March’s.
So I asked the man why this increase in power rates by AEC?
Go to the AEC office and ask the people there. That was his answer.
As I do not have the time to go to the AEC at Nepo, I will just make use of this column.
SO, AEC, WHAT’S ALL THIS INCREASE IN YOUR POWER RATES?
You owe your clients not just some explanation but a very valid explanation.
Make a public statement, guys.
